Day Tour with Surface Design

Tour San Francisco from the viewpoint of one of its foremost landscape architecture firms–Surface Design–and learn the stories behind the renovated public landscapes at Lands End Lookout and the Golden Gate Bridge Plaza as well as what happens when this innovative firm turns its attention to a traditional Bay Area home landscape.

The Surface Design team is passionate about craftsmanship, sustainability, and the relationship between people and the natural environment. Our tour begins at Lands End Lookout where we’ll gather with Roderick Wyllie, Surface Design principal, and Josh Schechtel, San Francisco resident and PHS board member. We’ll get background information on budgetary constraints and horticultural challenges the firm encountered in creating this dynamic and resilient landscape that can withstand the elements as well as thousands of visitors annually. Next, we’ll board a bus and head to the Golden Gate Bridge Plaza. Still a work in progress, the designers began this project by studying pedestrian and vehicular traffic. See how they’ve used hardscape to creatively move people through the space while framing magnificent vistas, and hear about future planting plans that will compliment the site.

Our tour ends with a special visit to a private garden designed by Surface Design, where their superior plant knowledge, mastery of hardscape, and sensitivity to Bay Area hills and views all combine to create a beautiful and practical setting for enjoying outdoor living.

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About Pacific Horticulture Society

Did you know that Pacific Horticulture Society (PHS), a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, has been publishing Pacific Horticulture magazine since 1976 through the effort of talented freelance writers, photographers, and artists, whose generously donated work supports our mission to inspire and educate West Coast gardeners?If you enjoyed this article, please consider becoming a member or making a tax-deductible donation.